EEO Academy to open--EOD AA/EEO Unit, September 2006

EEO Academy to open
--EOD AA/EEO Unit, September 2007

EEO Academy returns for a second year with new courses such as Systemic Discrimination and African-American Men in the Workplace.

EEO professionals, human resources officers, attorneys, mediators and other state employees responsible for implementing Equal Employment Opportunity laws are invited to participate in the second annual EEO Academy, which is offering 28 one-hour classes this fall.

The mission of the academy, which is sponsored by the Equal Opportunity Division’s Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Unit, is to enhance professionalism by providing leadership and continuing education in EEO to EEO and other human resources professionals.

“As EEO professionals we have the responsibility to function as change agents and therefore we must move beyond tolerance and learn to celebrate the diversity in our communities and workplace,” said Darryl Peal, deputy director of the DAS Equal Opportunity Division and state EEO coordinator.

“As we move forward, we must learn to speak truth to power and uphold the rules and policies that have been developed to enhance the workplace. Throughout the EEO Academy I hope the education process that you experience will be meaningful and that we all take away successful management strategies as we strive to live the governor’s theme to 'Turn Around Ohio.' ”

Classes, which will be taught by subject matter experts from the public and private sectors, will be held at the Ohio Department of Transportation, 1980 W. Broad St., on the following Fridays: Sept. 28, Oct. 12, Oct. 19, Nov. 2 and Nov. 16. Participants may register for as few as one class.

New courses this year include the following: the State of Hispanic/Latino Affairs, Social Issues that Impact Equal Employment, USERRA Update, Barriers to Diversity: Games Organizations Play, Mentoring Strategies in Employment, Systemic Discrimination and African-American Men in the Workplace.

Continuing education credits are available through the Ohio State University. Attorneys may receive up to 16 continuing legal education credit units for completing the EEO Academy’s legal track.

Because space is limited, enrollment will close if a class reaches capacity. Participants requiring supervisor approval are asked to obtain approval prior to registering.

For the list of presenters and the complete EEO Academy schedule, please visit http://das.ohio.gov/Eod/EEO%20Academy.htm.

For more information about the EEO Academy, please contact Felicia Godbolt, AA/EEO program manager, at felicia.godbolt@das.state.oh.us or (644) 466-8380.